Boulters Lock on the River Thames
During Victorian times, Boulter's Lock won fame - and notoriety - across the country as thousands of people flocked to the river here to mess about and watch the wealthier classes indulge themselves.
This was especially so on warm summer weekends, and particularly on the Sunday of Ascot Week, when there were pageants, carnivals and regattas. Holidays were spent on houseboats and the favourite pastime of the wealthy was to enjoy a leisurely punt along the meandering and slow-moving river.
Boulter's Lock was formerly called Ray Mill Lock, after the adjacent mill owned by the Ray family who produced flour. The first-ever lock keeper was the miller's son, John. The mills became Boulter's Inn in 1950. The word 'bolter' is an old English word for miller, hence the name Boulter's Lock.
Did you know?
Taplow Court on the top of the hill behind Boulter's Lock has a pool of water in its grounds called 'Bapsey Pool'. This is where the first Christian Baptism took place by Saint Birinus in the early 600s AD.
Contact details
Telephone: +44 (0)1628 624205
Postcode: SL6 8TR
Find out more about the Boulters Lock facilities.
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